Growing Haskap Berries in Canada

fireman022 · Feb 2, 2015

For those farmers in Western Canada and the North Western US. We have a great opportunity for you to learn about growing Haskap Berries.
I have seen a few questions about what to grow on your farm?
We had the smae question and being in a colder climate We discovered Haskap.

We planted our Haskap orchard 4 years ago and added to it last year. We are amazed at how well these berries do.
Cold hardy to Minus 45 and blooms are frost tolerant to minus 8.

Moderators if you feel this is a commercial please do as you wish with the post.

Copy of our announcement.

It's official!!

Haskap Day March 14 2015 is happening in Salmon Arm BC Canada

High Mountain Farm and the Salmon Arm Economic Development Society are proud to welcome
Dr. Bob Bors from the U of Saskatchewan and Hamish Graham from Haskap Canada.

This one day seminar will introduce growers to the incredible Haskap Berry.

The seminar will be taking place at the Old Courthouse building Saturday March 14 2015.
We are inviting you to forward this email to your contact list.

haskapbc.com

Registration is recommendend
You can register here.

edo@saeds.ca

oosik · Feb 2, 2015

Sounds interesting. I would consider attending if it weren't for that pesky passport requirement. Perhaps there is a link to this product?

dave1949 · Feb 2, 2015

I wish you success. Sounds like an interesting Ag product suitable for marginal land--no offense meant by that--it's a good thing.

Bird · Feb 3, 2015

I don't think I'd ever heard of Haskap berries; had to look it up and read a bit about them on the Internet. Sounds like an interesting project.

Relic · Feb 3, 2015

Wonder if anyone here in the Atlantic provinces growing them??

check · Feb 3, 2015

Relic said:
Wonder if anyone here in the Atlantic provinces growing them??

Wouldn't they just attract Black Bears?

fireman022 · Feb 3, 2015

Relic, I am shocked that you have not heard of Haskap. Google 301 Moved Permanently

They are in your part of the country and are turning the berry market into a big player.

fireman022 · Feb 3, 2015

I don't get the google moved permanently link. Try searching for Haskapa.

Fi-Q · Feb 3, 2015

One of my friend just planted a few acres of it it the past 2 years. It supposely take 7 years for trees to produce enough for"commercial" productivity. Here in the Gaspesie

rdoiron · Feb 3, 2015

I have about 5 acres of them going into their second year. Its an amazing plant and very hardy. They start producing in their 3rd year and fully mature in their 5th year. Typical production is about 8-12 pounds of berries per plant when mature. They are one of the earliest berries to mature. Its a quickly expanding niche with a major player in eastern Canada operating under the Haskapa brand. Several players in Saskatchewan including the University where they have been selectively breeding them for years.

forgeblast · Feb 4, 2015

Does it get invasive like honeysuckle? ie will birds spread it all over?

fireman022 · Feb 4, 2015

No spreading or suckering.
Haskap is a very well behaved bush.

fireman022 · Feb 4, 2015

I can start to see that There are going to be a few questions about Haskap.

In order to keep the thread from going the route of pallets in the feild, here are a couple of links to Haskap.

University of Saskatchewan Fruit Program

http://www.haskap.ca

301 Moved Permanently

Edible Blue Honeysuckle Basics

Relic · Feb 6, 2015

Well I'll be.I must go to Sobey's in Truro and have a look at them.Thanks for the link fireman 022.

Knight9 · Feb 7, 2015

I have some and they are fairly common here, but go by the name "Honeyberries". I picked mine up from the Saskatoon Farm just by Calgary. They do well, but are a pain to pick. Saskatoons are way easier to pick.

fireman022 · Feb 7, 2015

Knight9 said:
I have some and they are fairly common here, but go by the name "Honeyberries". I picked mine up from the Saskatoon Farm just by Calgary. They do well, but are a pain to pick. Saskatoons are way easier to pick.

Knight9 you are correct

“Haskap” is the name given to this fruit by the Japanese. Other names include edible honeysuckle, blue honeysuckle and honeyberry. The species is native to northern Japan, Russia and Canada.

It is part of the Dipsacales Order and is, in fact, more closely related to tomatoes as well as the Snowberry and Elderberry. It is not related to blueberries or cranberries, which are part of the Vaccinium Family. See Lonicera caerulea - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for further information.

- See more at: ABOUT HASKAP | Haskap Canada

There are only 9 varieties of Honeyberry that can be called Haskap. Haskap is the Japanese name for a berry that meets the demanding qualities of taste, and size, for the Japanese market.
This is especially important for the gardner to know as some Honeyberries are not very tasty.

rdoiron · Feb 7, 2015

Knight9 said:
I have some and they are fairly common here, but go by the name "Honeyberries". I picked mine up from the Saskatoon Farm just by Calgary. They do well, but are a pain to pick. Saskatoons are way easier to pick.

Do you know what cultivar you have? I know that some have the berries hidden and some tend to hold on to the berries well into the late summer. Other cultivars will drop the berries without much agitation.

rdoiron · Feb 7, 2015

In the spirit of TBN, here are a few YouTube videos shot last summer in our haskap orchard field. The 5 acre field is part of our non working farm that we brought back into production.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoyHsfYCbhqGGrDnyT22eOcz1KcFx3mvK
http://youtu.be/8pBhgX0xJ80

Knight9 · Feb 8, 2015

rdoiron said:
Do you know what cultivar you have? I know that some have the berries hidden and some tend to hold on to the berries well into the late summer. Other cultivars will drop the berries without much agitation.

Hi Rick,

No, I don't know the specific cultivar, but I would say the berries on my plants are typically a little more hidden than I would like. I have to lift branches and peer in to see the bulk of them. So far, although we love the taste, it has not been a real windfall of berries. Can you recommend a cultivar that is easier to pick?

woodchipper · Feb 13, 2015

Thank you for the Links fireman022. I will pay more attention nex summer when I will walk the woods. Interesting plant, with lots of potential for us, northern climate growers!:thumbsup: I wich you a great growing season